Reflections on Life and Faith,
by David Keating

Pots and Kettles

September 30, 2006

     I was thinking about these clichés in regards to day to day living when the Pope decided to stick his gold covered stick in the hornet's nest by quoting a seven hundred year old speech that depicts Islam as violent. Perhaps he should have taken a moment to check his day planner first. If he had, he might have noticed that along about the same time as this quote about Islam was written, his predecessors were authorizing torture as a legitimate method of checking people's Christian sincerity. Even old Galileo decided that he'd rather be wrong about the whole earth going around the sun thing than pay a visit to the Inquisitors. And lest we think this is all ancient history, don't forget that it wasn't until 1992 that Rome admitted it might have made a mistake in that one.

And not more than a hundred years earlier, the blink of an eye as history measures such things, the last Crusade had wound down after decades of warfare intended to "convince" people that Christianity should be the only game in town.

     When we're tempted to criticize others, it's often a good idea to take a long look in a mirror first.

     And that's a statement that applies equally well to peasants and Popes, and one that we struggle with often. We may accept that we're not perfect, but at least we don't do what "they" do. Whoever "they" may be. And whatever "they" may be doing.

     We often fall into this way of thinking with the best of intentions. We see someone performing a task and we know of a more efficient way to do it. So, with all sincerity, we offer to show them what they're doing "wrong". Strange how often our assistance is met with less than enthusiastic embrace.

    Take something as simple as loading the dishwasher for instance. It's obvious that one simply must ensure that the spoons are loaded so that they cannot "nest". Otherwise they won't come clean. And who would possibly want dirty spoons? So imagine my surprise when my wondrous revelation of proper dishwasher loading protocol wasn't accepted with joy by my household. Ah well. At least by loading it myself, I was sure it was done right.

     Right?

     The challenge we face, in dishwashers or in faith, is to find a way to have a discussion that doesn't start out with a description of someone else's mistakes. We've all made them. That's the point of all those clichés.

     If we can start out with an acknowledgement of both our own value and that of the person or group we want to work with, we have a greater opportunity to both teach what we know and to learn what we don't.

     Now, note that I don't suggest that we each acknowledge our shortcomings. To do so is (or should be) stating the obvious. It is more important to acknowledge that, in spite of our imperfections, we have value and worth. That's the message of Christian Scripture, and indeed of any positive faith. That we are imperfect. That God knows it. And that in spite of it, we are still acceptable to God.

     And that's a pot and kettle that I'll exchange with anyone any day.

David Keating